Loading-machine



G. R. BENNETT.

LOADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. m7. RENEWED R. 5. 1921.

Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I INVENTOR a; R..BENNETT.

' LOADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB, 5.19l7. RENEWED MAR- 5. I921. I 3 94 Patented July 5, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

WITN ESSE mvzm'on a an in en a ii GEORGE E. BENNETT, OF GLEN OSBORNE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT Ill-f.

HANAUER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNS'YLVMIIA.

LOADING-MACHINE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 195311.,

Application filed. February 5, 1917, Serial No. 146,706. Renewed March 5, 1921. Serial No. M8346.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. BENNETT residing at Glen Osborne, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Loading-Machines, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein, relates to mechanism for transferring material, such as coal, sand, -etc., from the place where it has been deposited. in. mining; or other operations, to cars whereby it may be removed. In general terms, the invention consists of a trough provided at its front end with shovel-like members or fingers, which are adapted to be forced under the material to be removed, in combination with means for shifting the material as it is forced back from the fingers, along the trough, and means for directing the material'into cars. The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved loadingv mechanism, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

a portion of the traveling apron being broken away,'and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of the mechanism directly employed in moving the loading mechanism to and from position of operation.

In the practice of the invention, the part or elements hereinafter described, re supported on a rigid metal frame 1, which in turn is' provided with wheels 2 adapted to move along the surface on which the material is deposited, or along suitable rails. In mining operations, it would be generally preferable to mount the loading mechanism on rails between which is arranged a rack 4 adapted to be engaged by toothed wheels, carried on the machine, and operated as hereinafter described for shifting the 1&- chine.

On the front portion of the frame, a trough 5 is arranged in an inclined position, said trough being provided at its front end with a pivotally mounted section 6, such section consisting of, or being provided with, a series of shovel-like fingers 7. In the forward movement of the loading mechanism, as hereinafter described, these fingers are forced in under the material lying on the ground or floor of the tunnel and to facili' tate the pushing of the fingers under the material, it is preferable that a slight up and. down movement be imparted to the fingers, so that they may loosen the material and Work their way under the same. This movement can be effected in many ways, such for example, by cams 8 mounted on a shaft 9 which is so arranged that on the rotation of the shaft, the fingers will be raised by the cams and allowed to drop. The shaft 9 carrying the cams, is driven by an extension 10 on one of the worm conveyers hereinafter described, as clearly seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to move the material along the trough as the fingers and front end of the trough are moved under the same, suitable means, such as worm-conveyers 11 are employed. In the construction shown, the bottom of the trough is slotted and the shaft of a series of worm conveyers 11 are so mounted on the under side of the trough that portions of the conveyers will project a short distance above the bottom of the trough. These conveyors are driven by the shaft 1 through beveled gearing 'as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The material is caused to move along the trough by the conveyers onto a traveling'apron 15, which may be of any suitable form or type. In the construction shown, these conveyers consist of belts pass-v ing around pulleys 16 and 17, arranged respectively upon the shafts l8 and 19. The shaft 18 is mounted in bearings 20 below the rear portion of the trough, so that the mate rial passing from the latter will be received by the apron, The pulleys 17 are secured on a shaft 19, which has its ends mounted in adjustable bearings 23, which can be shiftei'l by screws 21 so as to maintain the conveyor under suitable tension. A chute is arranged on the rear end of the machine and in SllCl'l relation to the traveling conveyors, that the material will pass from the latter into the chute, and be directed into the cars arranged in the rear of the loading mechanism.

The operation of the several parts herein described, can be effected by any suitable means or form of motor. but preferably by electric motor 26. A pinion 27 on the, sl ft of the motor, intermcshes with the driving wheel 28, on which are also secured crank .llll'ls .29, the pin connecting such crank arms being adapted to oscillate a lever 34). This lever is provided with a pivotally mounted pawl 31, adapted to engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel 32. The shaft of this ratchet- Wheel has secured thereon a pinion 33 intermeshing with the gear Wheel34, on a shaft to which is also secured a gear-wheel 35, adapted to intermesh'with the rack 4, and a pinion 36 intermeshing with a second pinion 37, also intermeshing with the rack. By

the oscillation of the lever 31, the shaft carrying the gear-wheel 35, will be so rotated as to move the machine backward or away from the material to be loaded, but as the driving pinion 37 is driven from the shaft carrying the gear-Wheel 35 through a pinion, the rotation of the pinion 37 will move the frame forward so as to force material up onto the trough 5. By the construction of a trough consisting of pivotally connected sections, the front section consisting of a plurality of independent fingers, means for forcing the front section under the ma terial to be loaded, means for vibrating'the fingers forming the front section and means arranged in the trough adapted to pass under the material lifted by the fingers and shift the same-t0 the rear of the machine.

2. In a loading machine the combination of a trough, a plurality of independent fingers connected to the front end of the trough, means for moving the trough to force the fingers under the material to be loaded, means for vibrating the fingers and means arranged in the trough for moving the material it is forced onto the fingers to the rear of the machine.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE R. BENNETT. 

